Most of us have seen boats going through locks to enable them to access higher or lower levels of the river or canal, but this is a unique method of conveying small and medium sized boats from a MUCH higher and lower level.

Below: Here is the gigantic monster that performs this task on the Trent Severn waterway in Ontario.

This was built as a 'temporary' lock in 1917, and has been updated several times. Originally it could only take boats of 35 ft in length, but now since it's latest update in 1977, it can take 100 footers.

Here you can see a small boat waiting at the lower level and the tracks leading down to the water's edge where the huge machine will decend into the water. Once the deck of the machine is just below the water the small boat can sail on and be hoisted with supports to hold it steady.

Below: You can see this is where the boat will eventually be sailing.

Above are photos of the machine crossing the main road which runs alongside the shore of the upper canal area. Traffic has to stop and wait while this manoevre is taking place. Fortunately it is a fairly quiet country road, apart from tourist who come to see the Big Chute.

Right:

Here the machine has crossed the road and is entering the water of the upper level.

Above: You can see the machine is now well underwater and the boat is preparing to sail away, while the machine waits for incoming boats.

The machine gradually climbs slowly out of the water and back on to dry land carrying the boats from the upper level over the road back to the lower level.